One Body, Two Souls
by Meanderfall
Summary: Jill finds herself attracted to a mysterious thief. But he has one teensy tiny problem... someone is sharing his body. Can they overcome this obstacle and live happily ever after? And what about his other self?
1. Chapter 1

**My first fanfic! Yay! Oh... wow, I had so many things I wanted to say and I forgot them all. Not a good start. Oh well, all the better for you, I suppose. Anyway, please read and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon.**

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

**Jill P.O.V.**

I had woken up, expecting a day like any other, foraging, mining, swimming, exploring, relaxing and partying. Oh, I knew that I was being irresponsible and I was letting many people down, but how could I care or worry when I was having so much fun? I kept telling myself that I would start farming, tomorrow… after tomorrow… next week… next month… next year… but I really could work up the determination or the motivation to do it. Seemed like life decided to help me out on that one.

Anyway, as I was saying, I woke up expecting another day of fun. The first thing I saw was a pair of ruby eyes. Focusing, I saw that they were part of sharp yet beautiful face framed by locks of white-blonde hair. It took me second to realise it was the Witch Princess. I wasn't frightened. We were friends, though I was too scared of the consequences to say it out loud. I WAS surprised to see her leaning over me, worry plain on her face, with the morning sun illuminating her. She was not a morning person or the type to worry, both of which I learnt the hard way.

Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, I asked her what was wrong. Without a word, she handed me a letter addressed to me. Wary, I opened it and read it out loud. Dumbfounded, I read it again, trying to understand. I wanted to pinch myself, praying that it was all a dream. The look on the Witch Princess' face dissuaded me. I wasn't dreaming. The Harvest King had actually teleported the Harvest Goddess and Harvest Sprites to goddess knows where because the Harvest Goddess had given up on me. And apparently, that was my fault. I was furious. And from the thinly veiled anger in the Witch Princess' eyes, I wasn't the only one planning vengeance.

Admittedly, the fury in her eyes was enough to make me shiver in fear. Moreover, she was probably pissed off more by the fact that she had no idea as to why she felt so angry. I refrained from chuckling. I probably understood her anger better than she did. Despite what people might say, she had a heart of gold, she just allowed her mischievous side to run rampant. And right now, one of the few friends she had had disappeared. She would not allow _this_ to go unpunished. And I would definitely help her.

Seeing the acquiescence and cooperation with whatever prank she planned to pull on the Harvest King, she left without a word. Stretching, I got out of bed and had breakfast before taking a shower. Dressed, I went outside, letting the dog and cat out, though not before I pinned the letter to my wall. I _really_ wanted to crumple it, shred it into a million pieces, feed it to a pig, burn the pig, and dance on its ashes, but I knew that would serve nothing. It would be better used as a constant reminder of what had unfolded and what could happen when you procrastinate.

When I saw the mess my farm was in I sighed heavily. This was going to take ages. Grimly thinking that sighing and muscle aches were going to be part of my daily life, I set to work. As much as I hated the Harvest King for making me do this, it wouldn't be fair to the poor Harvest Sprites or the Harvest Goddess. After all, they got in trouble for my laziness. With guilt gnawing at my conscience, I spent the entire day working.

**Skye P.O.V.**

It was dark. Sweet bliss, really. I felt so relaxed and serene.

_Hehe, it's time to wake up, sleepyhead._

How could I deny such a sweet and alluring voice? So, obediently, I opened my eyes. Only to have the morning sunlight blind me. Groaning, I rolled over, burying my head in my pillow.

_You __did __that __on __purpose,_ I grumbled.

_How __absurd,_ he said, half-serious, half-teasing. _I __would __never __do __such __a __thing._

_Uh huh. And money grows on trees._

_Now wouldn't that be a dream come true, for you?_

_And rid you of the wonderful job of stealing? Preposterous. Anyway, even if money did grow on the trees, you would still steal wouldn't you? Even if you had to take my body by force._

_Guilty __as __charged. _I sat up, pushed my bangs out the way, while resting my elbow on my knee, and stared at my knees blankly.

_So what's the plan for tonight? Flirting, or "information collecting" as you like to call it?_

_It _is _information __collecting, _he sniffed. _I __learn __so __much __with __just __a __few __well-chosen __words._ (I rolled my eyes at that.) _Anyhow, __I __found __the __perfect __villa __to __steal__ from. __Tonight, __I __shall __send __the __note __and __tomorrow __I __shall __steal._

_Tell __me __once __more,__why __you _insist _on __sending __those __notes. __Wouldn__'__t __it __be __easier __to __just __break __in __once, __take __what __you __need __and __get __out?_

_If we did so, we would be nothing more than low-life thieves. It's all about honour. Anyway, it's much more fun when there is a challenge involved._

_Of __course, __of __course. __How _could _I __forget? __We __don__'__t __want __the __great __Phantom __Thief__'__s __honour __tarnished, __do __we? __And __you __always __did __like __a __challenge__…_

I remembered the day when he challenged a bully to a dangerous race around the town. It involved climbing up walls and jumping from roof to roof. Not to mention, he dared the bully in front of the entire school. If we backed down or lost, we would be humiliated and intimidated forever. Then the jerk left me alone to do it, only coming out during the last half, when pressure was at its highest, and win. I refused to talk to him for three days after that. I still had a bit of a grudge.

_Good __times,_ he sighed contentedly, recalling along with me.

_Yup, __just __freaking__' __amazing __times,_ I replied sarcastically, with a hint of bitterness.

I sighed heavily._Well, __thanks __to __this__… __interesting __conversation __that __makes __me __all __the __more __certain __that __I__'__m __insane, __I__'__m __wide-awake._ There was only a teensy bit of irony in my voice.

Yawning this time, I rolled out of bed. I stretched and did some yoga poses. It was all part of his regimen to stay fit. I never actually liked doing it, but seeing how he has helped since I was kid and that we were in this together, I felt like I had to do my part. Even though I would rather be cooking right now. He made sure that I was doing them properly, wincing with me when it hurt. Finally done, I got dressed. I took a moment to fix my hair, and observe myself in the mirror.

_Well __Phantom __Skye, __you __are __one __smooth __talker __but __without __our __dashing __good __looks, __it __would __be __a __lot __harder __to __enamour __those __girls, _I teased.

_I __suppose __so,_ he laughed.

_Yet, __you __have __the __worst __taste __in __clothes. __Leopard-print __shirt? __Are __you __trying __to __get __us __beaten __up? _I almost instantly regretted that last part, but he paid no heed to it.

_Of course not. But as Phantom Thief, we need to have a signature mark._

_And __you __went __with __leopard-print __shirt? _I asked, disbelieving.

_Hmph. No one understands._

_No, seriously, why not go with a cape, or cool assassin-like outfit, heck even a trench coat? Better yet, why not dress like a normal human being and have a special mark you put on your notes, like Kaito Kid?_

_Fine, you work on that and if you come up with anything decent, we'll change, though all of my fan girls will be confused._

I rolled my eyes. _Please. __All __of __them __will __be __happy __you __changed._

_Are __you __ready __yet?__We __sort __of __have __a __deadline __to __keep, _he said, quickly changing the topic.

_Yeah __yeah, __hold __your __horses._ I placed a brown wig on my head and put on a long coat that hid my shirt well. I straightened out the wig before putting on a hat that hid my recognizable feline eyes. All in all, a nice disguise. Moreover, seeing how winter just ended, I wouldn't seem too out of place. Satisfied, I left the inn and started the long trek to Forget-Me-Not-Valley.

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><p><strong>Yeah, in case you didn't notice, by 'Skye P.O.V.' I mean the OC Skye I created. On that topic, I decided not to name OC Skye differently, so for now game-Skye will be Phantom Skye. But the real problem is the dialogue between the Skyes. Phantom Skye is too formal for Skye to be saying. And I couldn't think of any good nicknames (I could really only think of 'partner', but reminds me too much of Yu-Gi-Oh). Granted, since it's written in 'I' it's not that much of problem, but I feel like things could get confusing. Anyway, any suggestions for that would be great. <strong>

**Also, any thoughts, reviews, critisms, would be just plain AWESOME! I'm gonna shut up now.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon.**

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

**Skye P.O.V.**

I walked to the Valley, enjoying the fresh Spring night. Flowers were blossoming, leaves were growing, and bugs were fluttering about. Everything just seemed to come alive after a cold and dead winter.

Phantom Skye seemed oblivious to it all. While I saw nature, he saw hideouts and escape routes, each becoming more outrageous than the last.

_Can't you think of anything besides your 'job'?_

_Say what you will, my dear foolish Skye, but this could save our necks one day. _

I rolled my eyes. _We already have an awesome hideout that we found when we _didn't _know what to do._

Which was true. Some time ago, we had run into the forest behind the Goddess Spring, hoping to lose our pursuers. And we did, just while getting lost ourselves. We had wandered aimlessly while berating each other, and had stumbled upon an old cottage. Without any other options, we had spent the night. And before we knew it, it had become our favourite hiding spot and probably the closest thing we had to a home.

Snapping back to reality, I heard the last part of what was probably a long rant.

… _abandon it. Things change. And we cannot expect things to go as well as last time._

_If you say so. _I shrugged.

_I know so._

During our bantering, we had reached the Goddess Spring and had followed a path known only by us. We now stood in front of our cottage.

When we had found it, it was dark, dank, creaky, bug inhabited and half of the wood was rotting. Now, after many renovations and bug spray, it was prim and proper, looking like it came straight out of a catalogue.

_I need to start planting the garden, _I mused.

Phantom Skye rolled his eyes. _How I was ever your imaginary friend is a mystery to me._

_Oh, shut up. I only thought that because back then I didn't know that you were an entire separate being from me and had a life of your own._

I entered our room, filled to the brim with clothes. I took off my weak disguise and stuffed it in a corner. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and let Phantom Skye take over.

**Jill P.O.V.**

I entered my house, exhausted. After a long day of cultivating the land, chopping lumber, breaking stones and trying to find Harvest Sprites, I wanted nothing more than to take a nice, long, hot shower, and to curl up in my bed, cozy and warm.

I made a beeline for the bathroom, only to stop in my tracks upon seeing something glint on my bedside table. Curious despite myself, I made my way to the table where it was resting. It was an intricately crafted rose diamond-studded brooch. I stared at it blankly, not remembering whom it belonged to or why I had it in my possession.

Then it hit me. That was Lumina's treasured brooch, which I had borrowed. She had told me to give it back to her, at the latest, Spring 2nd since she had a very important piano competition all day the next day, and her grandmother had demanded that she wore it.

I could feel my heart sinking. Reluctantly, I glanced at the calendar. Yup, it was Spring 2nd. Panicking, I grabbed the brooch and rushed out the door.

**Skye P.O.V.**

I could never get used to my body moving without my consent. I felt like a puppet.

I couldn't help wondering how Phantom Skye felt. We both assumed that this was my body, since I was in control before we figured out that we could switch. Spending practically ten years trapped in a body with no idea why you were there or who you were must be horrible…

We reached the villa. He took a running start and jumped over the gate with ease. Without missing a beat, he raced up the wall using the ivy, and landed silently on the marble balcony. He peeked through the glass door, making sure no one was in, before entering.

Considering that the bed was pink, a tea set was on a table, and that dresses filled the room, we assumed that it belonged to Lumina, the young miss of the mansion. We could hear a piano being played and knew that the inhabitants were occupied. Without further hesitation, he went straight to the jewellery box, resting upon a vanity. After choosing what to steal, he placed a note on top of it. Whether the girl noticed it or not wasn't of our concern. He then left the villa, the occupants none the wiser.

**Jill P.O.V.**

I raced up the marble staircase, thankful that the night wasn't too cold. I sighed with relief, when I saw that the lights in the manor were still on.

Suddenly, a silver-haired man came out of the villa. I watched suspiciously, as he contoured the fountain, before stopping right in front me, finally noticing my presence.

The pale moonlight lit his features and my heart skipped a beat. His lithe form, silver hair that fell in such a way to highlight his delicate features that a woman could only hope to have but you could never mistake him for a woman, and cat-shaped turquoise eyes that seemed so suck you in and hypnotize you… All of it attracted me to this charismatic stranger.

I clenched my fists. He had to be a player, and I would not be one of his catches.

-He he. Hello, beautiful. Walking alone at night?

My heart sped up when I heard his voice.

-Would you be so kind as to tell me your name?

-Jill, I stated simply. I could feel the corners of my mouth lifting.

-Jill, he repeated, caressing my name as if it was infinitely precious.

I could feel my face heat up.

- A wonderful name suiting such a beautiful maiden, he said. He he. I'm quite the ladies' man, and a prince of the stars.

I arched an eyebrow. I just knew it. He was a player, and probably knew every trick in the book to get one's heart going. Even though I was repulsed, I could not get my stupid body to respond, to take a step back.

Fortunately, I was standing in the glow of the light from the lamppost, and Lumina, probably wondering what I was doing, chose this moment to come out. She walked towards me and it was only when she was a few feet away did she notice the man.

-Hey! Aren't you that famous thief who warns his victims ahead of time?

A shady person, a shady job…

-He he. Sorry, but I'm a bit pressed for time. I'm about to jet out.

With that, he sauntered to the staircase. He paused a moment before leaving, and turned towards us.

- He he. Call me Phantom Skye. I have a feeling we'll meet again. It's in the stars.

Urgh! Even though it was cheesy, I was flushing. Lumina, on the other hand, ran up to him.

-Wait right there!

-He he. Hold up, beautiful. Don't let such raw anger steal away your beauty.

I could see her blush from where I was standing. I couldn't blame her.

-What a smooth talker… Phantom Skye…

I could almost see a bunch of red hearts circling her head.

She ran after him, a few seconds after he had left, and returned, disappointed.

-Phantom Skye! He… he got away from me!

_Shouldn't you be more worried about your valuables?_ I rolled my eyes, hypocritically, and handed over her brooch. After regaining some of her senses, she went back inside, her eyes glazed over.

I walked back home and, wanting to vent, opened my diary.

"I met Phantom Skye today. He is such a player! Not to mention weird and disgusting all of those catchphrases! I bet that he thinks he can get away with anything just because he's good-looking! Argh! Those jerks are the worst!"

Feeling a bit better, I curled up in my bed.

**Skye P.O.V.**

I had to tease him.

How could I not, after assisting, in the front row seat, the beginning of what seemed to be an interesting love story.

I felt his reaction. He stared at her for five seconds taking in every detail of her. It took him another five seconds to snap out of his funk, tell himself it was just another woman, and say the routine lines to her.

But I knew.

_She was pretty, wasn't she?_

He didn't bother to pretend that he didn't know whom I was talking about.

_I suppose so._

So he was going to play it the hard way, huh? Well, I didn't like tact to begin with.

_You like her!_

_ I do not._

His response was firm, though it came rather quick. A little too quick…

_Pff… Don't even bother to pretend! I know exactly how you feel, whether I wanted to or not._

_ Just because I was taken aback by her beauty does not mean I like her._

_ But you do have an interest in her don't you? After all, that was the first time you ever asked any woman for their name._

I could feel a blush creep up our face.

_ Perhaps._

I chuckled. He was so meek by the mere mention of Jill. I was going to have fun with this…

_ But it would be best if she stayed away from us._

My good humour instantly vanished.

_So that's why you acted that way, huh? Hoping to push her away…_

Silence greeted me and I took that as a 'yes'.

I didn't like the situation. Not one bit.

He didn't notice the looks she gave him. The attitude she had. The feelings that were coming off her. She liked him too. But she didn't want to feel this way. Her defiant attitude said it all.

But I could feel it. The attraction between them.

I felt like a third-wheel, no more like an obstacle in their way. If I wasn't here…

I had to tease him. To be happy.

To pretend that the darkness in my heart wasn't there…

**Jill P.O.V.**

I stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Whenever I closed my eyes, a picture of him would appear.

_I don't like him! At all!_

Somehow, I don't think that sounded truthful. I fell into an uneasy sleep.

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><p><strong>Oh, the angst!<strong>

**Anyway, sorry that this took so long. Excuse? Uh... ^_^' Moving on! Thank you to all those you story-alerted, favorited, and reviewed! I appreciate it soooo much! And it's such a great motivator/guilt-instiller! *hint hint* *nudge nudge*. Btw, I did not take this idea from yu-gi-oh or other form of entertainment. The idea came to me, out of nowhere, and it wasn't until I had thought up the beginning and ending did I realise just how much this resembles**** yu-gi-oh, DNAngel, the Host, etc. Right now, I'm just hoping that this doesn't mean I have to make the disclaimer longer...**

**Anywho, that was my bit of rambling. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**First off, sorry that I couldn't update sooner. Fanfiction was being weird and wouldn't let me upload my chapters.**

**Second of all, thanks to the only person who reviewed. Nice to know that some are liking the story.**

**Finally, while remembering what I wrote at the end of last chapter, I realised that there might be a huge misunderstanding. The darkness in his heart is not that he is jealous or also fell in love with Jill. It's more like he hates Jill. Naturally, there's more to it than that, but if I said anymore it would ruin the plot. So yeah, no love triangle. Not yet, I suppose. I make no promises or guarantees about that.**

**Alright, enough with the blathering. On with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer : Don't own Harvest Moon. Hasn't changed since last I said it, doubt that it ever will.**

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

**Jill P.O.V.**

I woke up at the crack of dawn, and for a split second I felt happy. The sun was shining; the birds were singing…Who wouldn't feel happy on a day like this?

Then last night's events hit me, and I felt like I was carrying the weight of the world. I looked out my window. My dog, Sam, was running around the yard, a big ball of energy, whereas my cat, Rascal, slept under the shade of a tree, golden spots made by the sun shining through the leaves dappling his fur. The wind rustled the leaves in the trees, making perfect harmony with the birds singing.

It was picturesque. And I wasn't moved by it at all. I figured that that alone was enough to warrant the hatred I felt for Skye.

Groaning, I got dressed and set to work on my farm. Perhaps a little farm work would get my mind off him.

...

It was no use! The work was too monotonous to distract me enough. On the bright side though, I did manage to get another Harvest Sprite.

My farm was still too new to take up much of my time and so I found myself with the entire afternoon to do what I wished. I probably had a death wish, since I decided to spend it with the Witch Princess.

**Witch Princess P.O.V.**

After many brainstorming sessions, I had finally decided on the perfect prank to play on the Harvest King. Yes, to make this work I had to ask help from the_ Harvest Goddess_, and yes the very idea made me throw up a little in my mouth, but the sweet idea of vengeance was enough to make me look over that part.

So, after finding the right spell and recipe for the needed concoction, I set to work, fully concentrated. That is, until a certain annoying acquaintance came over. She started jabbering about some jerk named Skye, completely disrupting the calm in my hut. Did she have any idea how important it was to concentrate while making a potion?

I snorted. Mortals. Never looked farther than their belly-buttons!

It was when she had repeated the same rant for the fifth time that I decided to intervene.

"You know, you keep complaining about how horrible he is, but it sounds to me like you're in denial."

"In denial of what?"

"Of being in love with him." I stated simply.

"WH-WHAT! That's ridiculous! How could anyone like that womanizing, jerky-"

Finally losing it, I responded hotly "If I learnt a spell for every time you said jerk in the last hour you've been here, I would be the most knowledgeable witch ever!"

She became quiet for a moment.

"There are more witches out there?"

Oh, I could _kill_ her right now!

"Obviously, you idiot! If there wasn't, then there would be no reason for me to be the Witch Princess!"

"Does that mean there's a Witch Queen?"

My eyebrow was twitching. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to her. She must have seen the anger in my eyes because she was practically cowering. Good.

"Do you have anything in her rucksack that you need to dispose of?"

"Umm… I have a stone."

"Good. Hand it over."

She reached into her rucksack, reluctantly. I could read worry and fear in her eyes. She probably thought I was going to bludgeon her to death with it. A nice idea, but it wasn't very practical.

She handed it over. I placed in an empty corner in my hut. I stepped a good five feet back, before uttering my spell. The stone exploded.

Feeling infinitely better, I went back to my cauldron, completely ignoring Jill who was rooted in place, staring at the corner.

"You're avoiding the subject." I said, almost placidly. Startled, she turned to stare at me.

"Well, it's just that if I were in love, I would be happy beyond belief, not cursing my lover's very existence."

"Perhaps. But I think you're like this because you can't stand the idea that someone like him would have so much influence over you."

"How would you know?" she asked defensively.

I rolled my eyes.

"Jill, I've been alive for more centuries than I care to count and have seen many romances, and ruined a good number of them too. Don't you think that by now, I would be able to tell when I person's in love and their thoughts and reactions to it."

She became silent once more. Probably contemplating what I said. Or not. I didn't really care, as long as she was quiet.

"What are you making?" _So much for silence_, I thought bitterly. _Oh, and nice way of changing of the subject._

"It's the potion needed for our revenge."

"Excellent! Can I help?"

"Of course. I need you to get me some nose hair from one of the old bachelors. Kasey or Patrick would be best."

She stared at me with such horror and disgust on her face that I burst out laughing.

"It was joke!"

She crossed her arms, clearly not amused.

"That's not funny."

"Well, consider yourself lucky that I like you enough to tell you it was a joke before you went out to get some."

She shuddered.

"Fair enough. But seriously, can I help?"

"Yes. I need four whiskers from a Billy goat."

She laughed. "Alright, enough of the jokes. For real this time."

"I wasn't joking."

**Skye P.O.V.**

I tended to my garden the entire afternoon, enjoying the feel of the soil and the smell of spring in the air. We were both quiet so far, which was unusual since Skye always had a tradition of saying…

_You're such a girl._

Ah, there we go. Every year, the first time I garden, he always says something like that. He might be trying to tell me something, but well…

_This coming from the guy who spends at least an hour every day, making sure he looks good._

You get the picture.

_Pff. That's completely different. Doing that is necessary for our survival._

_Gardening is necessary too._

_For what?_

_My sanity._

I could feel the atmosphere go sour. I may have gone a bit too far… Trying vainly to go back to the light-hearted mood I said: _Ok, gardening may be a bit girly, but it's not like I'm naming them, much less names like Fifi or Froufrou, nor am I knitting them sweaters and stuff. And-_

_Skye._

I stopped my rambling. He's voice was dead serious and he seemed to be trying to figure something out. That was enough to surprise and silence me. Skye was never serious, not even while stealing. Sure, he was concentrating but he was always relaxed. Whatever was coming next was going to be important, to him at the very least.

_Is something wrong? You seem…upset._

Was something wrong? Maybe. Was I upset? Yes. Was I going to tell him about it? Nope.

How could I confess to him that the mere appearance of a girl was enough to send my entire world off-balance? Lame. Despicable. Pathetic. I couldn't even understand it myself. Was it perhaps because I felt that she and Skye were destined together? And that would lead to a future I didn't even know was possible? That because of all that, I may end up being shoved off to the side and completely forgotten, imprisoned?

Because of her, my heart was filled with a turmoil that I couldn't make heads or tails of. I wasn't even sure if she was the one who created it or that she just brought it to light.

Ugh. I need a psychiatrist.

_No, Skye. I am fine._

**Jill P.O.V.**

Propped up against the trunk of the tree I was resting on, I stared at the stars.

I had climbed up the tree next to the Goddess Spring after my talk with the Witch Princess and had been here ever since, thinking about what she had said.

Was I in love with that thief? There was no way. I hated that type the most and I didn't know anything about him. And yet…

I sighed. There was always that 'And yet'.

I crawled to the end of the branch and stared into the depths of the spring. I thought about the Harvest Goddess and her sprites. I wondered whether they were in different parts of this world or in other worlds. The ten sprites I had already found never talked about it. It made me wonder.

I watched the ripples of the water, unseeing and unthinking. A surprised gasp startled me out of my trance. I heard my name being called. I knew that voice out of a million. Without thinking, I brusquely turned around, to verify my suspicions with my own eyes. I had completely forgotten that I was precariously perched on the end of a branch.

And as all people who suddenly hate gravity, I fell. Right into the pond.

**Skye P.O.V.**

_Uh oh._ Skye thought.

_Yup._ I answered.

_Think she'll be mad?_

_Most definitely._

_How mad?_

_Well, remember that time we managed to trick a man into believing we were Santa Claus, and he figured out the truth?_

Skye snickered._ He was absolutely furious; he even followed us up on the roof!_

I noticed Jill glaring at us.

_Uh oh! Wipe that smirk off your face!_

He didn't need to be told. He had already noticed her death glare and was staring back at her, trying to keep his gaze steady.

_This is all you, my friend. _I informed him, trying vainly to stifle the amusement in the thought.

_Traitor!_

_Best of luck!_

**Jill P.O.V.**

I got out of the pond, soaked to the bone and seething with anger. It was one thing to accidentally make me fall in the pond but to laugh about it? Rude. It made me wonder if it was really an accident.

"I knew you were a jerk." I threw at him as I walked past. I just wanted to take a warm bath and go to bed. His reply made me turn to face him.

"Tsk, tsk. Jill, it's hardly fair to call me that when you don't know me."

I stared at the leaves fluttering next to his head, hoping that my face wasn't turning red. Why did he have such an effect on me? His smooth voice was enough to set my heart racing.

"Well then, why don't you tell me about yourself, if you want me to change my opinion of you?" I retorted before I lost complete control over myself.

He took a step forward, causing me to turn my attention to him and to plunge into his turquoise eyes. My thoughts became foggy. He bent his face towards mine.

"But if we did that, there wouldn't be any need for dates, now would there?"

My breath sped up and I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. His face was inches from mine, and a kiss didn't seem too far off. I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I was at his mercy. And, though it chagrined me to admit it, I don't think I minded.

We stared at each other. I don't know how much time passed. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but to me it felt like an eternity.

Finally, he winked at me before pulling back. He walked past me to the exit.

"We shall meet again, Jill. It's in the stars." He called behind him, before finally leaving.

I stood there for a moment. I then fell weakly to my knees.

What…just…_happened_?

**Skye P.O.V.**

I waited until he had stolen the jewelry from Romana's villa before making any comments, snarky or otherwise.

_Good job defusing that bomb._

He completely ignored me. He was daydreaming. I could guess what he was thinking about.

…_So, you really love her, huh?_

That shocked him back into reality.

_No. What makes you think that?_

_Oh, nothing. Besides the fact you almost kissed her._

He gave a mental sigh.

_Look, if it's anything, it is nothing but attraction. Besides that, there is nothing. Nothing!_

I rolled my eyes.

_Ugh! What is with you? It's like you're jealous._

I almost choked. _Jealous? Of what? And of who?_

He shrugged. _How should I know?_

For a moment, I wanted to burst out and say everything that was weighing heart. But, I stopped myself. Instead, I said: _There isn't any problem. I just wanted to tease you. And…_ I hesitated a moment before continuing, _I fully support whatever relationship you want to make with Jill._

_Thanks, Skye. Though you really shouldn't worry. Soon enough, we will forget about each other._

The relief flowing through Skye right now, made me feel guilty. I had no idea that I made him so anxious. Though, to say that what he said comforted me would be a lie. I had a feeling that we would be seeing a lot of Forget-Me-Not-Valley in the next couple of seasons.


	4. Chapter 4

**Le Gasp! Two updates? In one day? Practically unheard of! Yeah, so I wrote both of these chapters during the beginning of spring break and since big projects are coming up, I doubt I'll be around. Not that I was around a lot in the first place...**

**Oh and this chapter ya find out why Jill hates Skye so much. Yay for character depth! On with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Must I really? *sigh* I don't own Harvest Moon.**

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

**Jill P.O.V.**

I had taken a shower and went to bed in a daze. I was hoping that a good night's rest would clear my mind. It worked miracles, making me more pissed off than ever. To be honest, a good part of my anger wasn't directed towards Phantom Skye but towards me. I was angry with myself, because I actually felt disappointed that he didn't kiss me. Because even after five days of grueling farm work and finding sprites, I still couldn't stop thinking about him.

What was this? How could such a good-for-nothing man catch my mind and, damn it, heart? It shouldn't be possible.

I woke up, Spring 8th, ready for another exhausting day, when my phone rang. I answered it, only to hear a bunch of 'Kyaaa's. Guessing it was Lumina, I asked her what was wrong. She promptly answered to come to her Villa immediately, that 'I wouldn't believe what happened' before hanging up rudely. Taking the distraction has a way to get away from my stupid thoughts, I made my way to the mansion.

As soon as I knocked on her door, she opened it, grabbed my hand, and pulled me to her bed, closing the door behind her. Without any sort of preamble, she started gushing out what happened.

"Phantom Skye stole things from me!" I felt like doing a face palm. _This_ is what she wanted to take about? I would've been better off staying at my farm. And why was she so happy about being stolen from, anyway?

"He must've done it the night we met! He's so dreamy!" I could feel an eyebrow twitch.

"What's so good about that jerk?"

"Huh? Well, what's wrong about him?" Seriously? You're really asking that?

"You know for a while now, you seem to have something against him."

"Obviously! Its jerks like him that scam people out of their money until they're riddled with debts!"

"But you seem to take it so personally."

Of course I took it personally. How could I not, after all that's happened to my mother?

When I was young, I lived with my mother in the city. My father had been dead for some time, and we were living on the threshold of poverty. But my mother took it in stride. She was always cheerful, and took good care of me. But being as naïve and sweet as she was, she was easy pickings for con artists. Before we knew it, we were up to our necks with debt. Worse of all, I watched my mother wilt away, trying her hardest to keep us from going under. I couldn't even help her; I was too young to get a job. Finally, when I was twelve years old, she sent me to live on my father's and Takakura's farm, under the guardianship of Takakura and the Harvest Goddess. A few years later, she died.

After all of that, it was natural that I would hate his type the most. But I couldn't bring myself to explain all this to Lumina. We were friends, but I didn't want any sympathy. Not from just her, but anyone. I felt that if I told anyone, it would make me seem weak and pitiful. It was ridiculous, I know, but I was taught from a young age to keep my chin up and hide my pain from everyone, and I wasn't about to change.

But all of this was moot, since Lumina carried on, not bothering to wait for a response.

"Besides, he's nothing like that. He only steals from those who can spare it. Even then, he doesn't take very important things. Why else would it take me so long to realize that I've been stolen from? The things he took were just trinkets that held no value to me."

Huh… I guess he wasn't so bad… No! What am I thinking? A thief is a thief no matter what!

"And even though he calls himself a ladies' man, he's nothing of the sort! The only time he talks to women is when he collects info or is trying to get away. In fact, he has never once asked a woman for their name. It's a once in a lifetime chance to even see him!" She concluded, obviously smug that she had met him.

What the hell? How did she get so much info on him? Was there some sort of club or website about him? That was just creepy. For once, I actually pitied him.

Suddenly, something she said registered in my mind. "Wait, did you just say that he never asks for a woman's name?"

"Yup! It's all strictly business!"

But that's impossible! I never thought twice about him asking my name, thinking that he did that to everyone. But him asking about my name didn't make any sense if it was so unusual. Unless he… I blushed furiously at the thought. Then I shook my head, crossing off that possibility. It was impossible. I was an average girl with, to be honest, a rather bad personality. Why would he pick me out of the thousands of much prettier and better girls that he could get by just snapping his fingers? Nope, it wasn't possible. Lumina probably got her information wrong.

Hmm… now that I think about it, Lumina would probably know the most about romance and stuff. Maybe she would know how to get my annoying heart to stop beating so quickly whenever I thought about him.

"Hey, Lumina. While we are on the subject of mysterious (and annoying) guys, I have a question to ask you."

"Go right ahead. It would be a pleasure to help."

"Right. What does it mean when your heart won't stop beating fast about a guy with an enigmatic aura about him?"

"Well, that's obviously love, right?"

"No, it's not! He's not even my type! Not to mention, that this weird attraction goes way beyond natural! It's the kind of stuff you find in Twilight novels, for Goddess' sake! And it's annoying and freaking me out!" I burst out, releasing all of my pent-up frustration. I was so aggravated, that I stood up and started pacing.

Lumina grimaced before grabbing my hand and pulling me back to the bed.

"Shhh. I'm sorry, I was only joking. I didn't know it was so significant to you." She said soothingly.

"Well, it is! I dislike everything about him, and having my heart thump for him isn't exactly my cup of tea!" I felt not only my heart but also my conscience twinge. I had to admit, after hearing more about him I didn't hate him as much. And yelling about how much I hated his guts without a real, concrete reason made me feel unfair. But I ignored them. Now wasn't the time to be griping about unfairness.

Finally taking me seriously, she took a moment to think about it.

"Well, if I had to guess, I say it might be because he seems mysterious. After all, every girl is attracted to a bad boy at least once."

I nodded. In a weird way, it kind of made sense. Perhaps if I took out the whole enigma out of the picture, he would be nothing more than another thief to me and I could hate him in peace.

"So what do you suggest I do?"

"Learn more about him. You know, talk to him, hang out with him, ask him stuff."

I nodded again. That seemed fairly easy, considering how often we bumped into each other, statistically speaking. And, according to him, it was only a matter of time until we met again.

"Hey, but who is this mystery guy who've fallen so hard for?"

Uh oh. Time for some major bluffing and some praying that I don't get caught.

"He's just some guy visiting Forget-Me-Not Valley, who I met last night while going home."

"Huh. I didn't know someone was visiting. Usually, that news would spread like wildfire, especially since unknown visitors is so rare."

"Well, it was very late when I met him. I'm pretty sure that by now everyone should know about him." I said confidently.

Inside, I was praying to whatever deity that was on duty that some stranger would show up, before she left for her daily stroll.

**Skye P.O.V.**

_This isn't a good idea, _Skye said, clearly worried.

_It's a wonderful idea,_ I answered, as I put in the brown contact lenses.

_There are other, easier means to do this. I could sneak in or chat up that lady or works there._

_And risk Jill getting mad at you for being unfaithful?_

_That has nothing to do with this! _He snapped.

_Come on! It's about time it's about time we did something different!_

_At least let me be the one in disguise!_

_No way! They would tell at first glance that it was you just from the way you held yourself and walked, never mind the way you spoke. Besides, it's getting boring, watching you do everything._

_Well, could you at least change into a better disguise? Honestly, how does changing your shirt make a disguise?_

I looked at myself in the mirror. As he said, I had on a black T-shirt with a gray button down shirt on top, unbuttoned, instead of the usual leopard-print shirt. Naturally, I put on colored contacts and took off our necklace, effectively getting rid of the last characteristics that would give us away. In my opinion, it was the best disguise possible.

_You'll see. _I told him, winking to myself and consequently him in the mirror.

I left the inn we were staying at in Mineral Town with a confident stride, and made my way to Forget-Me-Not Valley. Phantom Skye grumbled the entire way there, clearly displeased. I chuckled at his bad humor.

My heart felt constantly heavy. It was easier to bear when I was concentrated on something else, which was probably the true reason I was doing a reconnaissance of the Blue Bar. But this weird depression wasn't getting any lighter. I worried on how long it was going to take before it disappeared. I had no intention of getting Skye on my back. Sometimes, he was worse then a mother hen.

We passed people on the way there. The exclamations and conversations went generally like this: "Oh my Goddess! It's Phantom Skye! What's he doing here in broad daylight?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? That's not Phantom Skye. See, he isn't wearing his trademark shirt."

"Oh! You're right. Shame. I wanted to get his autograph before he went to prison."

"Better luck next time."

_Told you this was the perfect disguise!_

_Feh._

_You should be happy that your leopard-print shirt has become your signature._

_Whatever._

_Aren't I supposed to be grumpy and depressed one?_

_Can we make haste and arrive at our destination please?_

_Your wish is my command._

Once I got there, I checked in the Inner Inn.

"Could you please write your name in the register?" asked the dark-haired woman behind the counter. That's when things got a bit delicate.

Trying to show no hesitation, I wrote the name 'Skylar'.

_How original_, Skye commented.

"My, you sure do resemble Phantom Skye." I made no comment.

"Hmm? Oh, you forgot to write your last name."

"I don't know what my last name is." I stated simply, which was close enough to the truth. It was more accurate to say that I banished the name from my mind, along with all the other horrible memories that went with it.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I had no idea." She hurried to apologize, probably hoping I wasn't hurt by her ignorant comment.

"It's not a big deal." I shrugged.

"Your room is number 201. I hope you have a pleasant stay!" She called as I hurried to my new lodgings.

I entered and placed my suitcase on the bed, not bothering to observe to room or unpack. It was nothing more than a prop, anyway. We never really had any belongings, and the few that we did were small and could be easily hidden. Everything big that we needed was stashed in our multiple hideouts spread across about a dozen cities.

I waited ten minutes before leaving again, hoping to give off the impression that I unpacked.

I took a deep breath before entering the Blue Bar.

"Welcome!" chimed a blonde woman behind the counter. When she turned around and looked at me she gasped and cried: "It's Phantom Skye!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm so sick and tired of hearing that!" I walked up to the counter.

The woman and the man looked at me, suspicion clear in their eyes.

"Everywhere I go, everyone's always saying 'It's Phantom Skye!' When I'm obviously nothing like that womanizing thief!"

_No offense._

_None taken._

"Ah, yes. I suppose that is quite difficult." said the man. He was probably in his late thirties.

By now, they had taken a real good look at me, and probably realized I wasn't him.

"What's your name and what brings you to Forget-Me-Not Valley?" he asked.

"Skylar. The Harvest Goddess and my mother were probably against me since birth. And to answer your other question, I'm rather a connoisseur of food and wine and I heard that the best dishes were served at the Inner Inn and the best drinks at the Blue Bar."

"Well, we aren't the best…" he said modestly.

"Serve me a drink then, and I will find out myself."

He made me a drink and I drank it in one gulp.

"This is delicious!" I exclaimed. Which was true, but I thought it was better to lay it thick to butter them up.

"Please, help yourself."

After a few more drinks, I stopped and decided to get to the reason as to why I was here.

"Is it true that you have Okuhattan?"

"Yep." He said, proudly displaying the bottle.

"Wow! And it's the 1875 one! It's one of the best! How did you manage to get your hands on such a rare delicacy?"

"We know a guy." The woman answered.

"You're so lucky! I'd give anything to have even one bottle!"

The man observed me for a moment, thinking about something. Deciding himself, he got a pad and a pen from beneath the counter and wrote down two names, address and telephone number.

"Here" He said, handing me the paper. "You seem like a decent guy that really knows his stuff. Mention my name and he'd be more than willing to sell you a bottle with a good discount."

"Thank you so much! How can I even begin to repay you?"

"Think nothing of it. It's only natural that lovers of food should help each other out."

I stayed and had a bit more to drink, before I checked my watch.

"Woah! Look at the time! I have to get going!"

I placed the money I owed along with the tip on the counter and made for the door.

"Thanks again for the number! I'll see you around!" I said before I left.

"Bye!" I heard them say before the door shut.

_Told you things would go smoothly. _I said as I went back to the Inner Inn.

_Alright, alright, you were right. I suppose I should stop underestimating you, huh?_

_Damn straight._

_Well played, my wonderful partner-in-crime._

_Yeah, let's wait before you start calling me that. I have no intention to restart such an experience._

He laughed.

I caught a flash of brown hair in a ponytail. Acting quickly, I pressed myself against the wall of the Inner Inn.

_That was…_

_Jill. _He finished for me.

_Our cover would be blown the minute she saw us! _

_We'll have to avoid her like the plague._

_You're not upset that you won't be able to talk to her?_

_If we were truly meant to be, whether I talk to her now or not would be irrelevant._

I smirked. In a way, I was happy that he was finally admitting that he wanted to be a couple. Though that also made me kind of sad, since, to me, there was no doubt that they would live happily ever after together. With or without me.

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><p><strong>Yeah, so I can no longer claim that Phantom Skye is in character. But! At the very least, his interactions with Jill will be IC (hopefully).<strong>

**Also, I have no idea what the room numbers are in the Inner Inn, and I think that Okuhattan is wine. Just to let you know. Oh, and if OC Skye is getting on your nerves you'll be pleased to know that next chapter, he probably won't be making an appearance.**

**Next time, the purple heart event!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

**Jill P.O.V.**

The entire valley was abuzz with the news of a stranger. Apparently, everyone loved him. I did too, simply because he came at the right time and made my lie the truth. I never actually met him though. I had spent the seven days that he was here on the farm. Things were starting to pick up, and I didn't have a moment to spare socializing…too much. I did spend those seven nights at the Blue Bar with my friends, but it seemed that 'Skylar' always went to bed early, much to the chagrin of most of the villagers. He practically became an idol overnight. In fact, they even threw a going-away party for him the day before he left. Talk about idolization.

But what I was really concerned about was how I was going to meet Phantom Skye. I really wanted to be over him as quickly as possible. I actually went out patrolling before going to bed to meet him. I was hoping that maybe he was planning another burglary and would show up, either to investigate or to send his note. Finally, on Spring 16th, my diligence was rewarded.

That morning, I headed straight for the Blue Bar. Muffy was experimenting with drinks, and I was her assistant and taster. I also found out that by drinking I could rescue Sprites. It was two birds with one stone.

When I entered the bar, Muffy and Griffin were discussing something. They turned towards me when they noticed my presence.

"Oh, hi, Jill. You came at a good time." Muffy said. She seemed to be very excited and had a slight dreamy look on her face.

"What's up?"

"We just received a notice from Phantom Skye!"

My eyes widened.

" 'I'm going to bless your bar with my presence at midnight for a drink. Phantom Skye.' Griffin read. "He certainly loves himself." He said disdainfully.

"And sending a notice of his arrival makes me think he's quite confident. I kind of like that." Muffy added.

Griffin seemed a little exasperated at that. "Anyway, he's a thief, so we gotta corner him."

"That's right! Muffy nodded. We'll make him pay gold for that drink!"

I fought the urge to burst out laughing. The expression on Griffin's face was priceless.

"That's not what I meant." He told her, irritation creeping into his voice.

"I'm kidding!" Muffy assured him. She then turned to me. "Do you have some time tonight, Jill? We could really use your help to catch that arrogant thief."

"I'd be glad to help." I told her, smiling. I wouldn't be missing this, even if my farm burst into flames. We set up the time and place I would meet them at (midnight, at the Blue Bar). I exited the bar, fighting the urge to do a fist pump.

I went back to my farm, trying to take care of the chores quickly. I was excited and, I won't deny it, a little nervous. I honestly wondered about that. Being nervous is normal…Right? It wasn't like I trusted him to not do anything funny. And it probably had nothing to do with the fact that I was meeting him. Or that I wondered what his reaction would be when he sees me. And what he thought about me. Nope, none of that. I sighed heavily. _This had better work, Lumina._

Things didn't get any better when I finally completed my tasks and had to wait until midnight. I spent the entire time sitting at my table with only my nerve-wracking thoughts as company; I had no desire to suffer a horrible death by the Witch Princess and I really didn't want my other friends to know why I was so jittery. It was a complete relief to me when the clock reached eleven fifty-five p.m.

I stood up and went to the Blue Bar at a brisk pace. I entered, heart pounding. My gaze raked the room. There was only Muffy and Griffin behind the counter. Disappointment and relief washed through me. Noticing me, Muffy and Griffin turned towards me.

"Oh, Jill. So good of you to come!" Muffy said.

I walked up to them, glancing around, almost as if I was expecting Phantom Skye to jump out of nowhere. Griffin must have seen me looking around because he said: "The Phantom's not here yet."

I nodded. We stood there, waiting, not exactly sure what we should do. Griffin and Muffy ended up chatting in low voices, while I kept watch. Suddenly Muffy said: "Mmm-mmm… Why do I smell curry?"

I walked to counter, wondering what was going on. I couldn't smell anything…

"Yes…That smells sooo good!" Griffin exclaimed, delight and hunger coating his deep voice.

Reaching them, I breathed in deeply. Mmm… I could definitely see, or rather smell, what they meant. I stood with them, the aroma practically coating my tongue. I vaguely wondered what was going on. Suddenly, understanding hit me like a ton of bricks. Phantom Skye was planning to lure them out with the smell of curry!

Unable to just smell the curry anymore, Muffy and Griffin walked quickly, more like ran actually, out of the bar. I tried to follow and warn them, but I was too late. They were gone. And in their place, came Phantom Skye. I stopped dead in my tracks. Complete and utter shock froze me in place. I could only stare dumbly at him, unable to form a coherent thought. His striking features and eyes didn't help much.

Although, enough of me was still functioning to read the emotions that ran through his eyes. First came surprise and then obvious joy took over. But something was marring that delight, ruining it. A sort of…resignation? Confusion drove away my surprise. I looked harder. There was something else beneath all that… Something…

I shook my head angrily. Why should I care? Though I did want to understand him… But this was making my curiosity even stronger. But wasn't that a good thing? Grrr.

I fought the urge to bang my head against the wall and turned my attention back to him. All emotion was completely wiped off his face and eyes, except for amusement. That surprised me even more, if that was even possible. Before I could say anything, he spoke up.

"Hehe. We meet again, my darling Jill. Do you believe that fate has drawn us together?"

I pondered this for a moment. The entire line was ridiculously cheesy and at any normal time I would have told him off. But I wanted to get closer to him, didn't I? So, playing his game, I nodded and answered: "Could it be fate?"

Surprise and happiness flickered across his face before he could stop them from showing. Gaining control over himself again, he laughed and said: "It makes me happy to hear that from a beautiful maiden. Hehe. Anyway, I wonder if you could just hold still for a moment." A strange look crossed his face before he exclaimed: "Chick-beam…FIRE!"

What. The. Hell? I stared at him, hoping beyond hope that he did NOT just say what I thought he did. That had to be the worst line or whatever-it-was, ever. Period. No room for argument.

I tried to lift my hand for a wonderful face-palm, to find that I could not. Panicking now, I tried moving my legs and head. I was as frozen as a statue. I glared at Skye accusingly.

"Hehe. Just relax. You will be able to move again in a while." He told me, soothingly.

I felt my anger building. Here I was, wanting to have a nice chat, and he goes and freezes me!

Irritated, I saw him go past me, and heard him move bottles around, obviously searching for his booty. Experimentally, I tried to open my mouth. Triumph flowed through me when it worked. I could talk! Taking the opportunity, I asked one of the questions that have been bothering me since I met him.

"Why are you thief?"

He paused in his search. "Hehe. I don't know why."

That had to be a lie! Everyone had a reason for what they did. Discontent, I tried again.

"Is it just for fun?" I pressed.

"Hehe. That might be it, and that might not be it." I knitted my brow.

"…Mind elaborating?" The sound of clinking bottles stopped again.

"Hehe. You want to know more about me, don't you...? But if I simply tell you, it'll take the mystique out of our relationship. I know, Jill. If you can catch me, I'll tell you anything you want."

Mystique? More like he's trying to avoid the question! _And quite well too_, I thought idly. Any frustration about that, though, was neatly shoved into corner by my burning curiosity. The age-old proverb _curiosity killed the cat_ flitted through my mind. _But satisfaction brought it back_, I told myself firmly. I absolutely had to know. But to capture him though… I didn't really want to… My train of thought stopped. I didn't want him to be imprisoned? When did I actually became _concerned_ for his well-being? Scratch that, more like _how_?

So absorbed in my thoughts, I jumped slightly when I became conscious of the fact that he was standing right in front of me. Surprise quickly turned to glee when I realized I could move again, no matter how little. I least he didn't lie to me about that.

He was looking at me with a strange expression on his face. He opened his mouth to say something when the sound of voices stopped him. Alarmed, we both looked at the door.

"That's odd. I could have sworn that great smell was coming from here."

"Yeah. Let's go back to the shop."

Muffy's and Griffin's voices were distant but it was only a matter of time before they came back.

I brought my gaze back to Phantom Skye. His expression was wiped clean of the bizarre look it had before.

"Hehe. Sorry, but I'm a bit pressed for time. Gotta jet!" He told me, winked, and quickly left the shop.

I huffed angrily and would've crossed my arms if I could. They just _had_ to show up right when I might've learnt something about him!

I eyed them irritably as they entered.

"You're a bit too late. The Phantom thief is gone." I told them.

"What? The Phantom was here!" Muffy exclaimed, instantly worried.

She brushed past me, probably going to investigate the cabinets behind the counter. I resisted the urge to snort. I was getting a little peeved that they didn't seem to worry about me or my condition at all.

"It's true! The Okuhattan is gone!" she cried.

"Are you all right, Jill?" Griffin asked me, worry plain on his face. My anger drained away. I was being really unfair to them.

Abashed, I told them about my meeting with the thief, though I kept some details to myself. They didn't need to know about the weird relationship between us.

"Wait! You were paralyzed by the Phantom's magic spell!" Muffy said at the end of my tale, obviously shocked.

"That's the Phantom for you. His gears are always turning." Griffin stated.

"I'm sorry, Jill. I just left you all alone." Muffy apologized, repentant. I told her it was nothing. After all, if they hadn't left I wouldn't have been able to meet the thief.

"And I'm really, really sorry. Thanks for the help today. Get a good night's rest." Griffin added.

I suddenly became aware of just how exhausted I was. It had been a really long day. I bade them goodnight and went home as quickly as my weary legs could. Too tired to shower, I got into my pajamas and slipped under the warm covers of my bed.

I was honestly expecting to fall dead asleep the moment my head hit the pillows. But like every other time I met Phantom Skye, my thoughts about him kept nagging me and I simply _could not_ fall asleep.

I sighed. Lumina had been wrong; if anything my interest had spiked and I was more enthralled by him than ever before. Hopefully, that was nothing more than a side effect and would disappear once I find out more.

And what was that about, not wanting to capture him? He was a thief, a criminal! But what if he's a thief justified for what he's doing? I brushed that thought aside quickly. That would open a can of worms that I was just too tired to deal with.

And those weird expressions on his face. What could those possibly mean? And so many out-of-place emotions… Joy and resignation… emotions that don't normally go well together… But below that… Something even more different… Unique… Something…

**Phantom Skye P.O.V.**

_Unless you want to break your nose again, you should probably make a left turn. Now!_

Skye's urgent voice cut through my thoughts and I abruptly became aware of my surroundings. Without breaking my stride, I turned to left, narrowly avoiding the cliff face Skye had warned me about.

We were on our way back to Mineral Town, through the mountain pass, a path I thought I could walk with my eyes closed. The same could not be said about being lost in thought, apparently.

I sighed inwardly, awaiting either his teasing or his anger. It seemed whatever I did that had to do with Jill, he would either mock me or be filled with fury. The anger was understandable, I supposed, considering that it usually happened when we were in peril. The mocking too, now that I thought of it. Perhaps it was payback for all those times I playfully annoyed him or did something on his behalf that he did not take well to.

We walked in silence, I still waiting for his reaction, he strangely quiet. My thoughts slowly drifted back to Jill. Her gorgeous brown hair, seemingly always tied up in that characteristic ponytail, her mesmerizing purple eyes that seemed to glow with whatever emotion she was feeling. But they were always hard, practically distant when she looked at me. I could only imagine how they would look when softened in kindness and love, or when fierce and passionate…

_You really do love her, huh?_ Skye interrupted once again, obviously having following my thoughts as they unfolded.

This wasn't good. This was much worse than teasing or anger. It was sadness, almost dejectedness. And it pained me more than he could ever imagine that he felt that way, that he wouldn't tell me his reasons or thoughts. I could only guess that he thought I would end up thinking of nothing but her, and perhaps abandon him. But that was ridiculous, nonsensical. No matter how much I liked Jill, I could never desert or forget him. We were brothers! Moreover, if that were the case, wouldn't he be feeling envious instead of something bordering on despair?

I sighed. Sometimes, Skye was more complicated than labyrinths, filled with undetectable traps. Which was a very close analogy, thinking about it now, what with all the repetitive conversations and pitfalls within those.

_We've been over this before, Skye. I do not love her._ I tried, using my most reassuring voice.

_You may not be in love her, yet, but you can't deny you have feelings for her._

I tried to think up a rebuttal that would deny that statement without lying. Nothing came to mind before he continued:

_See? So why don't you try to become a couple with her?_

No good. No good at all. Now he is encouraging me, trying to put his own sadness aside so that I might be happy. The most horrible part of it all though, was that I _wanted _to be with her. To fall in love with her. To spend time with her.

I shook my head, trying to clear it.

_I cannot be with her, Skye._ I told him simply. I rather doubted that he would take kindly to my real thoughts on this whole situation.

_Why not?_

Ah, so much pain and hope in that simple question. Why did it seem like he was suffering more than I, when I was the one that to give up my love? It was practically unjust. In my eyes, at the very least.

_I simply cannot._

He was silent from then on. I wasn't precisely sure how to take his silence. And whatever thoughts he was having seemed so terrible and personal, I didn't have the heart to peek. Moreover, I was wrapped up in my own problems. I was yearning to see Jill and speak with her. It was like a flame in my heart that could not be doused. But I couldn't meet her, not without Skye finding out.

An idea sprung to my mind. Yes, yes, that could work! I began plotting and working out the finer details as we continued our way home.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **


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